Cops: Green Lake naked man assaulted autistic girl

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after police said he assaulted two children at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. They finally arrested the man. The chase was covered live by television helicopters and followed closely on social media. less

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after police said he assaulted two children at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

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A naked man clings to a buoy as he swims from Seattle police officers after they said he assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. less

A naked man clings to a buoy as he swims from Seattle police officers after they said he assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

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A naked man pushes away a police boat as he swims from Seattle police officers.

A naked man pushes away a police boat as he swims from Seattle police officers.

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

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Officers pursue a naked man around Duck Island after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. They finally arrested the man. less

Officers pursue a naked man around Duck Island after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 5 of 15

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 6 of 15

Seattle Police officers look for a man as he clings to the bottom of their boat after he apparently assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

Seattle Police officers look for a man as he clings to the bottom of their boat after he apparently assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 7 of 15

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 8 of 15

A naked man clings to a buoy as he swims from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

A naked man clings to a buoy as he swims from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 9 of 15

Officers pursue as a naked man swims from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

Officers pursue as a naked man swims from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 10 of 15

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police. They finally captured him. Photographed on Tuesday, September 4, 2012. less

Officers pursue as a naked man runs from Seattle police officers after he apparently assaulted two young people at the lake and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 11 of 15

Officers pursue as a naked man swims from Seattle police officers after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. less

Officers pursue as a naked man swims from Seattle police officers after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

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Officers try to coax a naked man onto a boat after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. They finally arrested the man. less

Officers try to coax a naked man onto a boat after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 13 of 15

Officers try to coax a naked man onto a boat after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. They finally arrested the man. less

Officers try to coax a naked man onto a boat after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 14 of 15

Officers pursue a naked man around Duck Island after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck Island where he continued to evade police for about 2 hours. They finally arrested the man. less

Officers pursue a naked man around Duck Island after they said he assaulted two teenagers at Green Lake Park and was chased into the middle of Green Lake. He clung naked to a buoy before swimming to Duck ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO / SEATTLEPI.COM

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Cops: Green Lake naked man assaulted autistic girl

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The man who ran around naked Tuesday at Green Lake assaulted police officers who tried to capture him, and the teenage girl he initially assaulted has severe autism that limits her speech, according to court documents released Wednesday afternoon.

Police also say they don’t know the man’s real name. He claimed to be Travis Cunningham, then Tyler K. Cunningham, age 32. But no records were found for either of those names, so police referred to him Wednesday as a John Doe.

Detective Renee Witt said police expect to identify him through fingerprint records.

The incident started about 3:20 p.m. near East Green Lake Way North and Ashworth Avenue North when the man tackled the girl, 16, and her 19-year-old brother. Witness Betty Atkinson said the man tackled them “like a linebacker” without warning.

The 19-year-old broke his finger, and his shaken sister also was taken to Harborview Medical Center as a precaution.

When officers approached the man threw his sleeping bag and jumped off a Green Lake dock. He shed his long-sleeved green shirt and other clothes, swimming around the lake naked.

Several police and firefighters tried to retrieve him, but the man resisted for more than two hours. He clung face down on a buoy, occasionally dipped below the water, rambled nonsense and at one point grabbed a life jacket thrown by police.

“We don’t believe he has any weapons,” Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said during the pursuit, “especially considering the temperature of the water.”

He then swam to Duck Island in his birthday suit as dozens of onlookers watched from the shore and TV cameramen rolled in news helicopters. Officers said they were given orders not to enter the water as a safety precaution, though some did get wet during the pursuit.

At one point, Green Lake Naked Guy charged at an officer and slapped him twice across the face, according to court documents. He then ran back into the water. Police say he also threw rocks at officers in a boat and bruised another officer with a stick.

Police eventually captured the man about 5:45 p.m. and took him to Harborview Medical Center for a mental evaluation.

He waived his right to appear at his Wednesday bail hearing. The suspect is being held without bail and a bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.